Horse-collar fastener.



L. I. MUDGE. v HORSE COLLAR FASTENERJ APPLIoATIoN FILED 113.6, 1909.

@Hannut 1H: NoRRls PErERs co., wAsmNaroN, n. c.

Patented May 11, 1909.

LEANDER ISAAC MUDGE, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

HORSE-COLLAR FA STENER Specification yof Letters Patent.

Patented May 1 1, 1909.

Application filed February 6, 1909. Serial No. 476,531.

To all whom tt may concern: n

Be it known that I, LEANDER IsAAo MUDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new andvuseful Improvements in Horse- Collar Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates vto improvements in fasteners for detachably connectingthe upper ends of horse collars. Y

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple and practical fastener of this character which will be strong and durable, whichv will ermit the upper ends of the collar to be quie y and easily connected and disconnected and also adjusted so that the collar may be worn loose.

W ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arran ement of parts hereinafter fully descri ed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved fastener showing it applied to the upper ends of the collar and in its locked position Fig. 2 is a similar view of the fastener showing its members connected so that the collarmay be worn loose; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views taken, respectively, on` the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and 4-4 in Fig. 1.

In the drawings A and B denote the up er ends of the two side portions of a horse col ar or the like of any form and construction. To these ends are secured the attaching plates 1, 2 of the two members of the improved fastening. As illustrated, said plates are of sub'- stantially semi-circular shape and curved to fit the ends A, B of the collar; and they may be secured upon the top of the latter by rivets 3 or any other suitable fastenings. Formed upon or suitably secured to the plates 1, 2 are interlocking arms 4, 5, the projecting ends of which are adapted to overlap and slidably engage each other when the ends of the collar are brought together.

The outer end of each ofthe arms 4, 5 has its outer corner notched or recessed, as shown at 6, to provide a tongue or`projection 7, which latter is adapted to enter a slmilar-shaped f notch or recess 8 formed in the enlarged portion9 of the arm on the opposite attaching plate. Formed in the intermediate portions of the overlapping and interlocking arms 4, 5

are transverse openings 10 which are adapted to register with each other when said arms are interlocked, as shown in Fig. 1, so that a nail, pin or other fastening may be inserted in said openin s to effectively hold the arms in such inter ocked engagement. To detachably connect the members of the fastening to hold the ends of the collar either in `their closed position or in their partially closed position so that the collar may be worn loose when desired, a spring catch 11 is provided upon the plate 2 to engage a keeper 12 upon the plate. The catch 11 is in the form of a spring strip riveted or otherwise secured at one end to a lug or projection 18 upon the plate 2 and having similarly secured upon one face of its free end a block 14 formed with two or more ratchet teeth or shoulders 15. Either one of the latter is adapted to 'engage a shoulder 16 formedl upon the keeper 12, which is in the form of a b ock or projection upon the plate 1. It will be seen that when the spring catch 11 is engaged with the keeper 12, as shown in Fig. 1, the interlocking arms 4, 5 of the members of the fastener will be retained in their engaged position to hold the collar closed and that when the catch 11 is engaged with the keeper, as shown in Fig. 2, the collar will be held in a partially closed position so that it may be worn loose. I

' Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

kA horse collar fastener comprising attaching plates, an arm projectin from each of said plates and having an en arged recessed inner portion and a recessed outer end, the recessed outer end of each arm being adapted to enter the recessed inner portion of the other arm and a spring catch for holding the plates together with said arms in engagement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEANDER ISAAC MU DGE.

Witnesses:

F. D. R. GRAY, R. J. HANcooK. 

